Hundreds of youth throng Athi River firms in search of jobs

Job seekers camp outside the Export Processing Zone in search of jobs at Athi River, Machakos County on January 21, 2025.

The hundreds of those visiting the companies throng the premises as early as 6.00 am daily with hopes of getting hired. The majority of job seekers are youth and women.

The Star established that most of those who throng the factories located along the Nairobi – Mombasa highway, Nairobi – Namanga road and the Export Processing Zone are products of rural-urban migration.

This is because the Athi River is still perceived by many Kenyans as an industrial town.

The job seekers include university graduates and form four leavers alike while others don't have professional education.

Several companies in the region offer jobs to all these categories of job seekers. They hire on merit, experience and individual skills and qualifications.

Athi River MCA Jeremiah Kaloi decried high levels of unemployment in his ward and the entire Athi River subcounty.

Kaloi attributed the situation to the high rate of people relocating from their home counties to industrial towns in search of jobs.

He said the rural-urban migration had made locals disadvantaged as matters of job opportunities are concerned.

“Some of the companies offer job opportunities to people from as far as Nakuru, Kiambu, Meru and Busia counties while about 70 percent of Athi River youth are jobless,” Kaloi said.

The legislator spoke to the Star in Athi River on Tuesday.

He called on employers not to discriminate against job seekers and instead ensure equity and equality based on merit, experience, and skills alongside other relevant necessary qualifications.

Kaloi told unemployed residents to get up and hustle for a living.

“Don’t just sit and lament on how getting a job is hard, go out there and look for jobs in the hundreds of companies around,” Kaloi said.

Earlier last month, launched an initiative dubbed, ‘Vijana kujituma kusaka kazi initiative’ that helps youths get job linkages.

“A company located at the Export Processing Zone in Athi River recently promised to hire 100 youths from the Athi River ward.

They intend to employ 600 young men and women to work in the textile firm,” Kaloi said.

Kaloi, however, told form four leavers to join Technical and Vocational Training institutions for life skills.